I was looking for something fun when I picked up this book by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Dave Barry, and boy did I find it! Farcical, satirical, and silly, yet surprisingly good, with a complete, well thought plot, developed characters and witty dialogue. There’s something almost Vonnegut in Barry’s style, but make no mistakes, Barry’s humor is based in reality. When different aspects of the setting, Miami, are described for the reader, part of the reason it’s so funny is because it’s true.
This hard-boiled mystery almost feels cozy because reading it was so light-hearted and fun, but it’s not. Nor is it a book you’d want a kid reading. If you’re looking for something fun, a mystery you can read while wearing a smile instead of a grimace, this is for you. If you prefer mysteries that keep you up at night with the lights on, trying something else (Mo Hayder, perhaps). Five stars and a giggle (or two).
Shannon Hollinger 
I read this book years ago, and it really was so much fun. It was written pre-9/11, but reading it post 9/11 makes the airport scenes feel different, I think, than the author might have intended. Still, I’m inclined to pick it up again and revisit the weirdness. I’m glad you liked it!
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I agree. When I was reading the airport scene I checked the publication date to confirm it was pre-9/11. Remember when airports used to be fun? Or at least not invasive? Happy to know someone else enjoyed the weirdness. 🙂
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